ro2124

Well I had been planning to go to Medellin Colombia, but man.. its just no fun to travel these days, always some rule or bureaucrat putting the boot in and trying to make life as difficult as possible, as if we haven't got enough to deal with bloody Covid. I tried to book a ticket to Colombia for 6 months, although normally they only allow you 3 months. But you can apply at immigration for a further 3 months, which is what I did before. But seems they are getting stricter, some people have been banned from entering. This is where it gets stupid, you need to show your return ticket upon arrival, but it must be valid for the normal 3 months. If not they can refuse you entry, which of course means you cannot apply for the extension, because they won't let you into the country, I mean how stupid is that? We can give you extension, but you won't be allowed into the country to do it, yeah really smart that. Some people have suggested using a sort of false ticket, but apparently legal. You can get these "rent a ticket' things, which gives you an apparent onward ticket to show to immigration. So the idea would be I book the the actual 6 months ticket, but if they ask for return ticket just show them the onward rent a ticket. Then if I enter the country with no problems, I can apply to immigration for an extension. Never used that onward ticket system before, so don't know how reliable it is or if it's an issue, that I actually have a real return ticket but some months later over the 3 months limit, which they may notice or not.

juddles

ro2124,

Just read your post - and "jesus!" With that attitude you are in for a world of pain.....
Your main mistake is the assumption that the extension of your visa is a given. You can "apply" for an extension - it is not guaranteed. Hence upon arrival you need to comply with the requirements of the initial 3 month thing, which includes proof you have a ticket out of there within that timeframe. This is not a "stupid" thing - it is real. They may not extend your visa, so you need to be able to show them you have a ticket out.
You speak of "false tickets". Yet clearly do not understand these. There is no law anywhere preventing you from having multiple tickets. In your scenario what you need to do is simply buy (a) your intended six month tickets, and (b) buy a single fully-refundable ticket that gets you out before the initial three month period is over. You can then get a full refund on this second ticket IF your visa is renewed.
Both return tickets are thus "real" - forget all the crap you are listening to about "rent a tickets". Buying and ditching a fully refundable ticket costs you nothing.
[Unduly personalized text deleted by Moderator.]

ro2124

Yeah well you have some points. And I'm fully aware you're not entitled for a visa extension, although in the real world and my experience, never heard of anyone being refused an extension, but yeah, its theoretically possible.
Anyway I will not be in for a "world of pain". It's very simple if they want to make things difficult, fair enough it's their country and rules. I will just stay for the allowed 3 months, which means Columbia will lose another 3 months of tourist dollars money they could surely do with in the current Covid situation . For example the guy I normally rent an apartment from. He sure is not happy. With the covid situation he is having extremme difficulty finding clients, so if I stayed the extra 3months it would have helped him a lot ,but now of course that's not going to happen, but never mind eh?..rules must be rigidly obeyed at all costs! So I will spend it somewhere else, with a more flexible attitude. It's a shame, I like Colombia, have many friends there, but that's the way it is. Bureaucracy is the same the world over, a lot of pen pushers making life more difficult than it should be. So instead after 3 the months, I will probably go to the Dominican Republic, they are far more flexible. At least they were last time I was there ,basically if you overstay, you just pay a reasonable fine at the end upon leaving and everybody's happy. In theory you also supposed to have a return ticket there, but never heard of anyone being asked for one. Some people I know stayed there for a couple of years or more, although initially, you only get 30 days on arrival . Now that's what I call flexible, makes life easier for everyone. It may have changed since then so have to make some more enquiries.

[Moderator edit of unduly personalized text.] I will just do it the way I described above and spend my money elsewhere, simple! Just sorry for my Colombian landlord he always been helpful and now is going to lose a considerable amount of money.

juddles

ro2124,

I said [moderator edit] But you then expressed that it is "their country and rules". This is fundamental. I respect that you have this clear vision. I also get that the rules may mean that you are unable to stay there as long as you wished, which will have obvious and direct consequences for your landlord there.

[Moderator edit] I gave you frank advice on how to deal with the reality there with their requirements. Follow this and maybe you can have a full stay.

In any case, I miss Colombia, and hope you enjoy a quiet aguaardiente thinking of me

Safe travels,
Juddles.

ro2124

Yeah fair enough, let peace reign There is enough fighting in the world at the moment. And yeah guess I do get a bit stroppy when it comes to bureaucracy, I've always hated bloody bureaucrats, so I do shoot my mouth off at times. Well, when the brain takes over from the mouth, then one realises Colombia is not really that different to many places, like in Europe you can only come for 3 months as a visitor.

Like I said the only place which is extremely reasonable is Dominican Republic, basically you just stay as long as you want, not totally legal. But it works quite well, I was there for years and just paid a fine, which was quite reasonable, definitely a lot cheaper than having to leave and come back. Plus I had a suspicion the immigration officer put it straight in his pocket since he did not give me a receipt... Guess nice little earner for him, but didn't bother me, I was happy, stayed for ages and paid a reasonable fine and he was happy to top up his wages by a considerable amount. Compromise makes the world go round Well its been some years, maybe it's changed now and they are stricter, there were rumours to that effect, so have to look into that.
And yeah I miss Colombia too, it was fun, although from what I hear things have gone downhill a bit in regard to crime, which seems to be getting quite bad, friends living there have warned me to be careful this time. Be a shame if it goes back to the bad old days of Pablo Escobar. What seems to be the largest increase is the drugging of tourists with that drug, Scopolamine... evil thing that. Well, I've always been aware of that so I guard my drinks like Fort Knox. Never ever let it out of your sight or accept drinks from strangers.

juddles

I have heard similar things, but really it is not that different to the past ten or so years. The scopolamine thing has been rampant for a few years now - and some personal advice I give you is that it is not just used for drink-spiking - it can be administered with any sort of personal contact - such as the simple act of receiving a "flyer' (piece of paper) or similar. Usually thrust at you by a pretty young thing... Just keep hands off. And this sort of caper is predominant in the city tourist areas - just try to be a less attractive target than the drunk gringo next to you Keep your window up if travelling in a taxi, etc. And when you go out of an evening, carry the bare minimum you are prepared to lose - and if you get mugged, just give them everything.

Having said that, you know as well as I do that Colombia is a beautiful and fun place, and the bad experiences afflict only the very few....

ro2124

Yes of course I know it can be administered in other ways, but seems drink spiking is the most common way in clubs were gringos hang out, which is why I don't go there. Only one thing I cannot figure out and seems there is no definite answer to it- well you know the internet, it tells you everything and nothing- Some people say they can blow it into your face and instantly you're like a zombie. But there are of course, different opinions on that some people say no and other people say yes. One toxologist said yes it's definitely possible to do it that way, so it's very difficult to know, what's right and what isn't. Guess the only way to find out if they do it to you. But as you said it's probably more prevalent in the tourist areas, in fact all my Colombian friends who have been robbed of their mobiles,etc it happened in that central area. I lived in Floresta for over a year, I never had any problems of any kind except for a rather persistent tranny, who wouldn't take no for an answer but looks like I'm not going to get there anyway, these damn Airlines these days are totally useless, they don't answer phones, they don't have email and they ignore you on social media. Bought my ticket over a week ago and still haven't got my ticket and only 2 days to go. God, there was a time you receive your e-ticket the same day but now it's pot luck. Of course they have taken my money, oh what a surprise. So it's gonna be fun trying to get my money back. Probably best way is to get onto the credit card company and demand a refund.

juddles

Laughing re the "persistent tranny"
Yes, blowing stuff in your face is a method. And a bit of a hard thing to avoid. Maybe wear one of those awful Covid masks? But same would remove the whole fun of being in a place like Colombia.
But as you say, your main danger is the airlines - I feel your pain.

ro2124

Well actually Colombians have been wearing those masks for a long time, it's only recently been changed it seems. A friend in Medellin told me masks are not required outside anymore. But maybe I carry one with me anyway in case the tranny is still lurking
And Airlines yeah, don't remind me. still haven't got my ticket and I'm supposed to leave tomorrow night. Well according to their app I am booked and they keep sending me reminders about make sure your documents are up-to-date. Yep pity they can't send me a bloody ticket instead. Guess one thing I could do is go to the airport anyway and then demand my ticket since I paid for it and I'm booked.. apparently. But knowing how stroppy and useless they can be, they may refuse me anyway, which means a long trip and costs, 2 hours on the train, to the airport for nothing.

malagajohn

Check in online - then you don't ned a ticket!

ro2124

Yeah thanks did think of that, as I am still listed on the app to go. But waited until today to see if E-ticket may turn up, but Nope. So yeah shall try what you suggested and hope for the best. But still a pretty crap performance to wait for E-Ticket over a week. But getting used to the fact most airlines these days are rubbish, with non existent "Customer Service". ahh a bleedin miracle ticket just arrived, with less than 14hrs before flight. So good to go

juddles

So all your whimperings were unfounded

Please do a follow-up - on how your travel / immigration things go.

ro2124

yeah but you should not have to go trough all that crap and last minute panic

Etheereal

Correct, masks are only required on public places and government buildings (and on airport/planes/public transport).

ro2124

@ juddles
>So all your whimperings were unfounded
>Please do a follow-up - on how your travel / immigration things go.
Well as you wanted follow up here it goes... More whimpering to come.

What a lot of hassle trying to get here, it's just stress and incompetence all the way. Like I said these days travel is no fun anymore.. first all these pre-registration forms before you can enter a country. Including Spain where I was only in transit and then when you try to get on the website to register, constantly you get "there was a fault please try again", 3 hours later and finally got it done. Fortunately CheckMig Colombia was better managed to do it with more or less in 10 minutes. Oh yeah a warning to people who want to use CheckMig if you search for it sometimes you get a false immigration site comes up and they want to charge you 39 euros. Yep another one of these damn scammers. CheckMig is in fact free and always has been. So be careful to go to the correct site!
anyway when I actually got to Spain guess what? nobody even bothered to ask me for the Registration, what a bloody waste of time! Now you see why I hate mindless Bureucracy

So there I am ready to go and I'm just about to go to the railway station to catch the train to Berlin airport and I get a message from German Railways- your train has been cancelled. I thought what the F*** are you kidding me? That was the last train to the airport which means I would miss the flight.so anyway went to Dresden Main station just in case , went to information to complain what the hell are you doing canceling the last train. Oh they said the Berlin train is on platform 3 leaving in 20 mins...which was the one I was after. I could not believe it. well apparently when they sent cancel notice, it was just that it would go to different part of Berlin Station..in Berlin there are two parts..Hoch and Tief , meaning high and low. Apparently Berlin Tief was crammed with trains full of Ukranian refugees fleeing from those murderous Russian pigs. So my train was diverted to Berlin Hoch. Christ, they could have made that clearer!! Instead of turning me into a nervous wreck. So anyway finally made it to Bogota to catch connecting flight to Med. Well as many people said, nobody bothered asking for a return ticket, so I could have just taken the chance, but anyway what's done is done. C'est la vie... At least finally here and it's good to be back.